The Cold Flame
by Diana Kerrigan
Summary: A slashfic with a difference. A borderline sociopath, a sentient machine, similarities, differences and a night in the VI core. Rated for an occasional explicit moment... and language - it's Jack after all. Contains same sex sexual references.
1. Chapter 1

Fuck. Why the fuck does it all have to happen on the same fucking wreck of a day?

Migraine was the worst on the immediate list and was getting worse every minute. She regretted every microsecond of throwing the injector against the cargo bay wall in an otherwise righteous fit of anger.

Fuck the L5X. Fuck migraines. Fuck Cerberus and fuck their stupid cheerleader. Fuck Serena. Fuck the ship. Fuck the thieves. Fuck the datapad.

Maybe not so much Serena. Considering everything, Commander was the least of all the fuckups. Granted she did not have to wait long till the old chick showed a pretty side and predictably had spent the whole of last Saturday attempting to grease up to her en route to Hawking, but to be fair she did fuck off when asked to, something Jack in all fairness did not expect from someone in power. And it's not that she was against her kind of entertainment in principle, it's just Commander so was not her type. FFS Shepard's B-factor readings could make HERS look nonexistent, even with her kit, shaved head and all – and Jack had a very definite preference for, so to say, the place on the captain's bridge. For the simple reason it does not make her feel so vulnerable and helpless. With Sera she strongly suspected it would not fly and she would end up regretting. Still she was out of the lockup and left relatively in peace and that was something. And Commander wasn't likely to get on her nerves again as she was majorly preoccupied with some 'important' bit of geth tech the away team supposedly picked up in Thorne - and the lightning path of least resistance, the ditzy redhead from the controls deck.

THEPAINTHEPAIN THEPAINTHEPAINTHEPAINTHEPAIN

She had to get a new injector before the migraine kills her. Which meant walking all the way up to medical bay and talking to people. Maybe even talking to the very same thieving scum who took her datapad. There is nothing as despicable as sneaking and thievery, she thought – one should at least have the courage to impose the right of the strongest face to face. Scum. Rats.

The pain had slightly dulled down as Jack reached the crew deck. As she was ready to open the door of medical bay she noticed the Dr engaged in a lively conversation with the cook. Jack entered the bay anyway, Dr was bound to turn up soon enough.

Meanwhile the girl looked around. The meds cabinet was obviously unlocked and after quick check on the surveillance camera angles she took a peek inside. And whistled. Chakwas would not miss these 8 capsules of tri-amorphine regenerative-relaxant, but they definitely meant she could kill some soul pain tonight, she deserved that much. And what's the retro-styled locked box there? The biotic closed her eyes and concentrated her telekinetics on the obsolete mechanical lock.

Click

A thresher up my. Creoxine, commonly known by its street name of O-Relay. Medical grade, used as an anaesthetic only in the cases of severe, mostly critical, damage shock. A full drawer of cartridges, each the price of a small ship on the black market. Jack looked at the tidy rows of cartridges longingly – but took just one, arranging the rest so there was no gap left.

'I'll make up for it, honest like. By trying not to get a shotgun hole right through my chest'

As she mentally turned the locker key again she heard footsteps approaching. The young woman quickly assessed the situation, regretting the all too reckless loading up on meds.

The only place to get out of sight was through the door by the VI core. Luckily the door reacted to her presence and slid open as she rolled inside, commando style.

...

...

Whew. Looks like Dr did not notice after all. Jack's eyes adjusted to the red glow of the VI core and she froze. There was someone in here. Another look at the dark shape in the central niche made her again sigh in relief – it turned out to be just a combat droid. A droid of a model she had not previously seen. Jack took a step closer. As she did so she felt a chill creeping in again...

The droid was sitting. Droids did not sit, more so they COULD not be sitting comfortably with their back against the niche wall, legs half-bent, datapad in their hands, in a pose of someone reading in bed. It turned what it had in the place of head towards Jack, the unmistakable, glowing, single red light reminding her what she had seen the video footages of the battle for the Citadel.

'Greetings, Jaqueline-prototype-biotic...we were looking forward to contact you'


	2. Chapter 2

'Why...How...Get away from me, thing...MY DATAPAD!'

In an instant her biotic field enveloped her in the usual bluish glow as she lifted the metallic monstrosity in the air, thrashing about helplessly and unsuccessfully trying to activate its shields. Jack held her ion shotgun against the red glow of its eye.

'Jaqueline-prototype-biotic – we request a ceasefire'

'Datapad,' she commanded harshly, extending her hand. The machine obediently lowered the datapad onto her palm.

'Now it would be the time and place to explain yourself – if you don't want me to blow you to pieces' Jack prodded its metallic shell with the barrel of the shotgun. 'I will let you down now, i still have the gun though, don't even think of trying anything pretty'

'Jaqueline-prototype-biotic has no more energy to maintain the interference field. Mobile platform shielded, defensive countermeasures active. Estimated outcome 51.2433% in favour of geth. We offer truce. We would prefer Jaqueline-prototype-biotic to put away her weapon and talk.'

'You're geth. EDI will alert the crew to your presence anyway – and give me one reason not to turn you into a handful of space dust...'

'Shepard-commander won't be pleased. Shepard-commander needs geth to help fight the Old Machines. Shepard-commander herself gave geth the leave to stay here by the VI core.'

'So you're with us? But you're geth? Why?'

'Geth oppose the Old Machines. You have not met geth before now, only heretics'

Jack sighed. 'Great. Turns out Sera has a ship full of friendly geth. What's next? A pet Reaper? Do you have a name?'

'We are just geth. But we suppose we do have a name now. Our name is Legion'

'Are you serious? Legion?'

'Yes. From human Bible, Gospel of Mark, chapter 5 verse 9. It is a good metaphor. There are 1183 Geth programs loaded on this mobile platform.'

Jack had to suppress a chuckle 'Cool. So be it. Care to explain what were you doing with my datapad, Legion?'

'We located the computer device on the floor near the lift and analysed it. This is how we know your name. The encryption protocol was extremely weak, it took 1.1367 seconds to bypass. Geth have to gather additional information about organics. You will be pleased to know we have made 92 minor upgrades to your device. It will run at a 89% higher speed now. Could Jaqueline-prototype-biotic return it to us for a minute?'

'Stop calling me that. Name's Jack'

'My databases suggest the designation does not match the series and function of your platform. Is prototype-biotic implying her software is primarily designed to handle a set of functions which are at present partially absent from her platform and partially turned off in default settings?'

'WHAT?'

'Ignore. Trial and error. This time more error. We are still learning. There was a 0.0021% probability of an assembly flaw we had to either confirm or rule out. It is done. We apologise for the delay and will call you Jack. Could Jack return her computer device to us for a minute?'

'Why? Fuck you, I am not letting you have it again. Did you leave one of my personal files unread? My heart is breaking, poor Legion...'

'No. We installed additional software which we would like to remove.'

'I don't care. I'm not giving it back to you. As long as it works. Let's see... ummmm...so what is it you wanted to remove?'

'It's called Fleet and Flotilla. We tried using it to learn more about organics but we do not possess much of the critical data needed to operate the simulation program successfully'

Jack laughed, finding the last bit inherently amusing.

'Come on. You, a geth combat platform, are telling me you were trying to play a dating sim? Aimed at 13 y/o girls no less? So tell me did you like it? And mind if i sit down?'

'In sequence: Yes. Yes. No, we could not operate it with any significant degree of success. And no.'

Jack sat in the niche, pretty much the same way Legion was sitting when she entered and motioned the synthetic to sit down next to her. The violent ex-convict suddenly realised she was surprisingly calm and relaxed - and could not remember a single time she has been like that over the last 10 years. Or more. She did not feel threatened at all which alone was unusual. Part of her savoured the moment, moreso that the headache was gone too – and part started to anticipate something terrible that might happen just so, because for once she was happy for a short moment.

'So can you geth feel lonely? Do you date? Do you have, like, a partner? Or partners? Is there someone at home, like, waiting for you to come back? I'm just asking this because of the game you installed on my datapad.'

'Yes. The geth are waiting. Expecting us to return and report on the mission status. And no, we cannot feel lonely. The closest thing to loneliness is when a geth program has insufficient resources in terms of computing power. That is why standard mobile platforms never operate alone. This platform is unique, it cannot happen to us. And...'

'Yes? And?'

'Requesting Jack to standby. Building consensus...click' Legion performed a sharp movement of its headplates, 'Our calculations are complete. The only meaningful approximation to a 'partner' geth have are the special optimisation requirements between the geth programs simultaneously running on the same platform for a longer period of time. We, Legion, are highly optimised. It's hard to synchronise 1183 programs, adjustment takes a long time, even with us communicating at the speed of light. Which is another reason why standard mobile platforms generally have no more than 100 programs running simultaneously. Now i have a question.'

'Ask away'

'Why do organics need compatibility when you are operating on two or more different platforms? Each of them is self-sufficient and there is no network. Why? We will add that we are aware of the reproductive function but are also aware it does not require compatibility'

'Because...i don't know. We just feel like it – and don't feel like being all alone. Sometimes it is good to know someone else is there for you.'

'Understood. But why then Jack does not have such counterpart?'

Jack smiled bitterly

'Because i like to be self-sufficient. And because i do not trust anyone else.'

'This is something geth can relate to.'

'Yea? Fucking really?'

'We detect modifications and subvocalizations in your voice signifying an indirect or opposite meaning and are aware Jack does not believe the information provided. It is true though.'

'How can it be true?'

'After the war with Creators geth had tried to achieve self-sufficiency and it would be appropriate to call it 'did not trust anybody'. Eventually the consensus was revised and Legion prototype platform constructed.'

'Ok. Maybe. I grant you that much, Legion. We could say maybe i will someday 'reconsider' too, if i live that long, which is unlikely.'

'It is unlikely. There available data is fragmentary but the estimated probability of the survival of Jack through the mission is 12%'

'And yours too.'

'No. Ours is 16%. No oxygen and atmospheric pressure requirements and higher physical resistances to damage...'

'Thanks. Nice to know someone's doing better.'

'We did not intend to make you experience the negative kind of organic sensations. Are you afraid to deactivate?

'No. I'm not afraid of death. It doesn't mean i want to die. And since when do you care?'

'...data...unavailable'

'There must be a reason you are aware of, Legion. Are you trying to deceive me?' Jack stood up staring unblinkingly into the Legion's red camera-eye.

'Difficulty building reliable consensus. Unfamiliar protocols. Missing data. We are presently running a risk of system crash. Jack is like geth. More than any other organic we are aware of. If Jack was a geth program, she could easily be synchronised to run on the Legion platform and there would be 1184 of us. We have failed to track the immediate reason why we have performed this computation over a set of data outside the range of possibility. Suspected major system instability. Geth request Jack to leave immediately. Legion platform on standby, running diagnostic scans...'

'Legion...wait...' she noticed her voice trembling treacherously 'I think i understand...wait... don't shut down now...PLEASE'

'Geth have now granted Jack 3 additional minutes before the shutdown. What is the information regarding the current situation you can provide us with?'

'It...it is only a guess..'

'Geth are listening '

'You...' Jack to her own surprise had to quickly and supposedly stealthily wipe off a tear '...you may be right.'

'Geth request Jack to elaborate'

Jack run her fingertips down the dull metallic shine of Legion's arm. To her surprise it did not feel cold, even if the temperature in the core was lower than on the rest of the crew deck. The tubes of the pulsating, faint, blue lights which were mostly protected by armour plating even felt positively warm. She let her hand slide down the arm and took the strange, three-fingered mechanical hand in hers.

'Legion?'

'Yes. Waiting.'

'It's ...what you said. I would see it as you being like me. I think you have feelings . Or have developed them while learning about us. About organic life. I think there is nothing wrong with you. You like me. If you were a human ...' Jack blushed. Just another of the things she thought she was incapable of. Until now. '...if you were a human, or even a turian or asari...i think i would like you.'

'Does that imply Jack does not like geth?'

'I..' Jack finally broke into tears '...I don't know. You.. are a machine. I like you, i mean i like like you. You are a good company. I feel relaxed around you. And i think i trust you. Don't fuck with my mind...please...or i'll blow you apart. No one fucks with me.'

Legion sat still, the red light scanning up and down the barrel of Jack's shotgun aimed at the connection of its 'head' and 'neck'

'Geth have decided to volunteer two bits of factual information to Jack. First: Breaking the camera connection would result only in a 9% drop in the combat efficiency of the mobile platform. Second: Our consensus dismisses Jack's analysis of her own motives as invalid.'

'Elaborate. Analysis? Fuck, i am starting to talk like you...'

'If we had our runtimes on an organic platform, Jack would not trust us. Our configuration would remind her of the damage inflicted on her in the past and she would not be able to exit the state of heightened alert the same way as she had done until 2 minutes and 9 seconds ago. Jack experiences her organic sensations precisely because we are geth and are loaded on a geth mobile combat platform.'

Jack let the shotgun drop to the floor with a loud clank. Crying uncontrollably, she wrapped her arms around the metallic frame of Legion.


	3. Chapter 3

'So... what do we do now?' Jack was still sobbing, her tears running down the shoulder of the Legion platform, glinting in the red light. 'What CAN we do? I mean i'm human and you're geth...what is this?'

'Geth find the term 'synchronicity' appropriate. Jack is synched to us and geth are synched to Jack. It is as if we were multiple processing cores of the same system even if we are not. There is an organic designation for it but geth are not confident enough to use the term. We are uncertain about the amount of additional context we might be missing.'

'Who cares, Legion. They're just words. But what do we do now?'

'They are variables. Still building consensus ... There are no satisfactory solutions geth are aware of. Geth cannot log Jack on to the network, our computational architecture is too different. There is one possibility though..'

'Which is? Please don't tell me we can't do anything about it...or i'll kill you...deactivate...fucking whatever..'

'Consensus achieved. Since Jack is limited by her hardware and cannot operate more efficiently, it may be possible for geth to lower our efficiency. The same way we do when we talk. Geth would prefer to communicate at the speed of light but your hardware is too slow.'

'Yes...I see. So i am the one holding you back. Did you have any constructive ideas or are just complaining?'

'We have a possible workaround. Instead of networking the Geth way...we are likely to be able to make Jack less lonely the organic way.'

'You what? Am i just imagining or are you talking about sex?'

'No. We are talking about the setup organics have instead of networking. The one that prevents you from having the sensation of loneliness. The continuing synchronicity of our software rather than any particular instance of physical interfacing.'

Jack rolled her eyes. 'Only me. Finally i am close to rounding up and killing all those fuckers deserving it - and in the end i have got a walking computer confessing its love for me. Especially when such thing does not even exist.'

'Incorrect. You know it exists. You are perfectly aware that what we have exists.'

'Yes...and...and...i think i am afraid it will be over...' And there Jack was crying again, loudly, holding on Legion's camera with both hands.

'Yes, it is very likely we will deactivate. 86% probability to be precise. This all is new for geth too and we also experience difficulties and internal conflict. We must be careful not to compromise our combat readiness.'

'Wait, you said 86%? What happened to 84 and 88?'

'Geth have agreed to adjust that slightly, within the parameters of the mission. Estimation revised in light of our additional objectives acquired. The tactical placement of Legion shield will achieve the necessary alterations...'

'Oh...i suppose...thank you Legion..' Jack stood on her tiptoes and gave Legion a quick smooch on its side headplate.

'We are aware of the symbolism contained in your gesture. Try decrypting this...' Legion tilted the camera sideways slightly, raised both of its upper headplates and blinked the camera light about a dozen times in quick succession..followed by reaching out and lightly running the index finger of its three-fingered hand down Jack's cheek and over her lips. Then the machine out of all possible things took her hand and placed it on its N7 armour plate.

Jack giggled through tears. 'It's so cute and i thought i will never use that fucking word in my life. Unbelievable. Are you even aware of the additional implications in what you did?'

'Yes. I am aware of the implied statements of a) my series and b) my relative function...in my case both in a relative sense. It can be compared to establishing a server-client structure between otherwise identical platforms.'

'So... why?'

'Would you like me to change them?'

'No, i'm just curious, Legion. I have a galaxy-sized load of indifference there, i just want to know you better. To understand you'

'Yes. Concerning series i prioritised the one with greater amount of information currently in my disposal. I study not only organics in general but Shepard-commander ...and now Jack...in particular. Also the knowledge downloaded from your datapad suggesting it is safe to choose the same series as you...'

' You downloaded what?'

'Your extranet history including correspondence – and video library containing lots of...we identifed them as video tutorials for organic platforms, geth so far are not aware of any other possible function those files could serve. All of that significantly advanced our study and helped to build a knowledge base regarding organics.

'You have no idea how fucked up that sounds to me'

'Does it? But it's good information, and so far the applied tests are for the most part confirming it...'

'For one geth probably don't have a concept of privacy. But for now let's forget it. So what about, as you called it, your 'relative function'?'

'All geth are multifunctional and unlimited. Minor decisions between workstations are normally resolved according to the highest random number. Organics have functions, both absolute and relative. I calculated my decision on the basis of what i read about the compatibility and connectivity issues between Jack and Shepard-commander'

'My diary too...'

'Yes. It was very educational, Jack. Geth sincerely thank you.'

'I don't know whether i should laugh, cry or shoot your metallic arse to pieces. But as I'm dead anyway and don't have the time to suffer the social consequences of shagging an overcomplicated coffee machine or compromised privacy... you're forgiven.'

Legion embraced the young woman softly – or at least as softly as it's metallic frame allowed it to do so. Jack smiled and touched its camera rim with her nose. Her grin grew more and more impish as she was contemplating something...

'Buckle down, phase jump in T minus 10, 9, 8...' she whispered in where she thought Legion's sensor arrays were located and put all the strength of her biotics into the push, throwing Legion onto the table in the central niche. She somersaulted and landed on the top of the surprised synthetic, placing her knee between its legs and pushing them apart. Legion was holding its hands on her hips and arched backwards but suddenly lifted its 'head'.

'Jack. Beloved. We failed to consider something. Neither geth platforms nor software have a function comparable to the sensory receptivity of organics during your interfacing process.'

Jack went pale. The one time in her life she wanted to do something pleasurable to someone else and wanted to do it out of her own free will, she had absolutely no means to do so. More to the point she had forgotten that in excitement. But then the full meaning of Legion's words struck home.

'You. You called me what?'

'Designation: Jack. Status: Beloved. Is it inappropriate? Am i unaware of some particular context? '

'No...it's appropriate as far as i am concerned. I feel the same about you. It's just i am sorry about this...'she motioned downwards, towards the table and Legion itself. I am sorry..'

'Jack? Don't be. We can still do it the other way around. Do not get absorbed in the negative sensations. Geth are fine.'

'But i wanted... Tell me, don't geth experience pleasure at all? If you do - what is it you like?'

'Geth could apply the organic term 'pleasure' to processing speed. Power. More powerful platforms, they make us light, crisp and temporally concentrated. There is no adequate description in organic languages. It is a nice sensation.'

'I knew a VI engineer once. He could make all Alliance computers perform beyond specs. For a short time. Don't know if that's related'

'Jack. This is why Geth love you. Adopting new technological pathway. Testing developments.'

Legion's glowing tubes suddenly lost the rhythmical, pulsating pattern, their pulse deteriorating into an unpredictable chaotic whirlwind of light.

'Requesting Jack to standby. Mapping overclock and overvoltage patterns to all external port sensors. 10%... 20 ..30.. ...90...complete. Unshielding ports...complete. Now careful, Beloved. Do not leave the sensors active for too long, none of us wants to burn out the platform hardware.'

' Really? Are you sure, Legion?'

'Absolutely. Where possible, patterns set to match the organic endorphin release circuits, rest randomised. Geth grant Beloved an exploration opportunity.'

Jack's knee pressed against Legion's thighs again as her fingers found an unshielded diagnostics port on the inside of the platform's knee. She slid her finger inside and lightly brushed it against the contacts.

'AIIIIiiiiiiiiii' Legion's voice synthesiser screamed, it's pitch steadily rising... as Jack's other hand caressed the chaotically moving headplates before sliding down and around its neck and finding Legion's secondary hub interface slightly below where its shoulders and neck connected. As she touched it another blizzard of lights dissipated through the glowing tubes ...Legion's back arched violently as geth tried to speak, frequently interrupted by static.

'Jack-beloved. This is what you organics would call 'beautiful'. Or even 'gorgeous'. Geth failed to predict the actual effect. Overclocks and overvoltages do temporarily enhance our hardware and make us experience sensations organics would describe as pleasant. But this is something else. The uneven conductivity of your fingers...the lack of control...anticipation... unpredictability... Geth have never known such sensations could exist, this is beyond logic...'

Legion's body convulsed and arched again, the damaged wiring in its chest releasing a shower of colourful sparks, as two of Jack's fingers touched the iridium-tantalum plating deep inside the terminal gateway.

'I know,' the girl whispered. 'I love you. I suppose i should say all 1183 of you. I don't need anything else from this life. Knowing i could give you this is enough. I am ready to die.'

'No. Jack makes no sense now. It is in no way time to deactivate. We have one immediate objective before that...'

'What?'

'It is our turn. Acknowledging our fingers have the edges for the railgun mount presenting danger to Jack's platform. We have to find alternative solution. Geth have reached a consensus on adapting our mobile platform's ship command interface spike for the function at hand.'

'Ship... control... interface... spike? May i know where is it? And may i see it before? Sounds fucking ominous..'


	4. Chapter 4

The soft winds of Ilium were playing in Jack's long, dark hair. Jack was still a couple of layers of sleep away from being awake, on some level registering Minara's hand sliding around and underneath her, gently parting her flesh and slipping a wet finger in between its folds. Jack raised her thigh to make it easier for Minara when a gentle jolt of static from the other girl's finger arced to her most sensitive place - and dissipated into thousand shards of pleasure...

'MMMmmmmm yes Minara...but how did you do it'

'Geth are unfamiliar with this designation. No database entry found. Define 'Minara'.'

Jack instantly woke up, to the uneven red light of the AI core – and a hand caressing her inner thigh. She looked back over her shoulder and smiled.

'Morning love'

'Morning Jack-beloved. Requesting information. Define 'Minara''

'A handful of ashes slowly descending to the ground after a full discharge of Kassa Armageddon IX close combat plasma array. Nothing. Nothing that matters and nothing that will ever matter.'

'Reliving past memories?'

'Yes. For all i know it probably had something to do with your ship control whatever thing being on a wrist mount' Jack grinned.

'Yes. A structural similarity to the handheld electronics in Vae...'

'NO. Stop. Or i will stop loving you. Don't mention that in my presence. I don't know where did you download it but it wasn't my datapad. FFS they had a made up asari playing a human for the second lead. Ewww. The production team. Tar. Feathers. Airlock.' Jack demonstratively clenched her fist. 'See, love, there's realism. There's fucking Vaenia. And there are the hundreds of billions of light years and the giant black hole in the centre of the galaxy between the two. If you really want me to, i'll fucking find something adequate for your studies of organics. Let me think...How about Logistic Base Delta, parts 1 through 15? Deal?'

The sirens went off and a tremor ran all along the hull of Normandy as she laid on a new course.

'All hands to combat deck' 'All hands to combat deck' 'All hands to combat deck' 'Yes that means you two, congrats from EDI' 'All hands to combat deck'

Jack and Legion quickly got their equipment together and ready. The final part of the operation had obviously begun but neither of the two seemed to be concerned (admittedly it would be hard for Legion to outwardly seem concerned but let that be). And when they entered the combat deck they involuntarily looked at each other –there was a fire dancing within their eyes unseen to anyone else...the cold, blue, ionised flame of the machine heaven that was now theirs.


End file.
